Section 2 (4-2) How Minerals Form

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Vocabulary

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solution- a mixed thing which contains metals
vein- a mineral that is narrow and is different from other minerals near this

Outline

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Process That Form Minerals

• There are two ways to form a mineral.
  • One way is to through crystallization of melted materials.
  • The other way is through crystallization of materials dissolved in water.

Minerals From Magma

• When magma/lava cools to solid state, they form crystals.
• The size of crystal depends on several factors.
• Such as amount of gas magma contains, rate which magma cools,and the chemical composition of magma.
  • Slower the magma cools, the larger the crystals grows.
  • So faster the magma cools, the smaller the crystals grows.
  • The more crystal is closer to the surface, the faster the magma cools.

Minerals From Hot Water Solutions

• Sometimes, the mineral dissolves in hot water.
• The dissolved water makes solutions.
• When the solution cools, the element and compounds leave the solutions and minerals crystallize.
• The pure metal that crystallize underground from hot water solutions often form veins.
• Many minerals form from solutions at places where tectonic plates spread apart along the mid-ocean ridge.

Minerals Formed by Evaporation

• Minerals can also form through evaporation
  • they form when hot-water solution's crystallize

Location of Minerals

• Mineral deposits can also form in U.S.
  • in the southwest, midwest, and gulf coast
• the earth's crust also has minerals in it

Diagram